CONCERN is building for the level of online fraud victims in Cork as cyber criminals continue to wreak havoc for Christmas shoppers.

The latest incident saw an individual file a report with Gardaí after losing a total of €1,230 after clicking on a link she believed to be from An Post. The Corkonian - who recently fell victim to the scam - was not alone in their misfortune with another person losing €1,950 to a similar scam. However, this time the link claimed to be from the HSE.

It comes after a detailed warning from An Post advising people to be aware of scams requesting payment for customs charges. They are pleading with customers to ignore messages purporting to be from the organisation.

Gardaí are also advising people to learn the signs of fraudulent websites.

It comes after a warning from An Post advising people to be aware of scams requesting payment for customs charges.

An Post is pleading with customers to ignore messages purporting to be from the organisation.

Gardaí are also advising people to learn the signs of fraudulent websites. This includes the absence of a padlock symbol recognisable on any legitimate website. They also advised people to ensure the letter ‘s’ is present at the end of ‘http’ as an indication that the site is secure.

Cork’s crime prevention officer, Sgt Brian McSweeney, underlined his concerns in relation to text messages and online scams.

“No government agency, whether that’s the gardaí or An Post, will send a text message,” he said.

“Last week, we had someone who had €1,230 taken. Another person who clicked on a link they believed was from the HSE entered their details and had €1,950 taken.”

Sgt McSweeney said that people often succumb to pressure: “You could be under pressure.

“Maybe you are waiting for a Christmas parcel to be delivered that you are worried isn’t going to come.

“Subconsciously people can be under pressure leading them to act on impulse and in a way they would not normally react. Clicking on a link won’t do any harm. It’s only when you have entered your card or bank details that you find yourself in trouble.”

Anyone who has fallen victim to online fraud is advised to contact their local Garda station.